While Canadian Tire no longer sells its products through the internet, I found a site containing a link to their web store.

Well, we used it the other day to shop for outdoor Christmas lights for the deck in our back yard.

Now, wouldn’t you know it but this retailer was selling solar powered outdoor Christmas lights.

If you think about it, this shouldn’t be anything unique; I mean, retailers have been selling solar powered patio lighting for homes for years.

However, perhaps because of our focus this past year on energy conservation and solar powered products for the home, this is the first solar powered outdoor Christmas lights for the home that we have seen. We had to have it.

So I clicked on the Canadian Tire graphic and quickly found them, ordered 2 sets for $24.99 each and waited.

It took 3 days to arrive. Yea!

So, what did each package contain? Well a very small (approximately 5 inches by 4 inches) solar panel unit (containing the rechargeable lithium-ion battery), optional wall support or in-ground spike, and of course the string of LED lights. We choose the small white type.

With this product, you have the option to install the solar panel unit on a wall or in the ground. For us the plan was to string the Christmas lights on the hand-rail of the deck in the back of the house. So, we chose to install each unit (remember, we purchased 2 sets) at either end of our deck hand-rail.

The actual string of lights is approximately 32 feet long, with an additional 10 feet from the first light on the ‘string’ and the end that plugs into the solar panel unit.

Now, the installation of the solar panel unit was very easy. You just need to remember that for maximum performance, you should have the solar panel facing due south to collect as much of the sun’s direct light as possible. First we attached one of the the wall support components (the part that will hold the solar panel unit) to one end of our deck’s hand-rail.

We first drilled guide holes in the hand-rail and then used the two screws which came with the unit.

Next we placed the solar panel unit into the opening of the wall support component.

It was very easy.

However, with any new product one has to be a little cautious. How does the string of lights attach to the solar panel unit, considering that this is winter after all with snow, ice, etc.

Tomorrow, we’ll continue this short 3 part series showing you the connection to the solar panel unit and show you how the lights performed. To continue to the next article in this series, simply select this link to Part 2.

Comments

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Hey! I don’t know if this is relevant or not, but I can’t seem to find help anywhere else! Are these lights working well for you? My mum bought some strings, and they aren’t working very well. But, she also didn’t let them charge for the initial 8 hour stint. Is the initial charge important, or do they just not work? Do you know? Thanks!

We’ve had the set you see in the pic’s above for a couple of weeks now. Yes, the first several days were extremely overcast so the solar panels did not get much sun and hence the brightness factor was not too bright.

However, after the first full sunny day and there after they have been very bright.

I just wish I made enough money from our blog to afford a new camera to take better pictures at night time.

I have 4 sets off solar Christmas outdoor lights.Now wher can I buy Replacement Rechargable batterys for them.Just cant find any in truro ns
No 3.2v.200 mah.
They are biger and longer then a regular aa battery,Thaanks R sorrell